*Say’s If El Rufai and Uba Sani don’t account for the funds, all local governments of Southern Kaduna should be exempted from paying for the loan.
By Emmanuel Gandu, S/Kaduna critic
THE WHISTLE BLOWER
The whistle blower on this mind blowing humongous debts left behind by the immediate past and embattled Governor of Kaduna state Nasir El Rufai is no other than the Kaduna state Governor Uba Sani.
In that whistle blowing, Governor Uba Sani had stripped El Rufai stark naked in the popular market square with an unbelievable revelation of a debt profile that sends tongues wagging in both national and international financial circles.
The Kaduna state Governor, Uba Sani, on Saturday 30/3/2024 in a world press conference lamented the huge debts inherited from his predecessor, Nasir El Rufai by the time he left office on May 29, 2023. Uba Sani had accused El Rufai of squandering $587 million, and #85 billion in debt, and 115 contract liabilities for the citizens to contain with.
These debts, according to Uba Sani, leaves Kaduna a poor and beggar state, thereby making it practically impossible to pay salaries and fulfill other financial obligations to contractors and creditors.
In that press conference, Governor Uba Sani fell short of calling El Rufai a candidate good enough for the long arms of the EFCC.
HOW IT ALL STARTED, EL RUFAI’S LOAN REQUEST, AND REJECTION OF THE LOAN REQUEST
Between 1917 and 1918, El Rufai had completed compilation and other arrangement for formal forwarding of a foreign loan request to the National Assembly for approval.
You would recall that in 2018 the three senators from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani of the APC, Suleiman Hunkuyi of the APC, and Danjuma La’ah of the PDP all rejected moves by El Rufai to take a $350 million world Bank loan.
Eventually, the Senate rejected the loan request by Governor El Rufai following stiff opposition from these three senators of the state.
NASIR EL RUFAI FIGHTS BACK
As a result of the rejection of the loan request by the Nigerian Senate, El Rufai stepped up his campaign of calumny against the three senators. El Rufai continuously and angrily rained curses and insults on Shehu Sani, Hunkuyi, and Danjuma La’ah, calling on the citizens of Kaduna state to “shave their beards and heads whenever they come to Kaduna.”
El Rufai also campaigned against their electoral value in the various senatorial zones.
By the 2019 general elections, Shehu Sani and Hunkuyi eventually lost their re-election bid, thereby making it possible for Uba Sani and Suleiman Kwari to emerge as senators from Kaduna Central and Kaduna North senatorial zones respectively.
These two senators succeeded in the armstwisting of Senator Lar into joining them for the lobbying for the approval of the loan for El Rufai.
El Rufai was said to have backed up the loan request with photoshop pictures of dilapidated infrastructure, bad roads, and rundown schools in order to justify the application.
The Senate approved the loan for El Rufai.
UBA SANI SUPPORTED EL RUFAI’S LOAN REQUEST
Senator Uba Sani was singled out as the major supporter of this loan for El Rufai.
In his tacit support, Senator Uba Sani in a signed statement on March 5th 2020 on the floor of, had this undertaking before the Senate – “I have assured my colleagues in both the Senate and the House of Representatives that it is not possible for Nasir El Rufai to fail on the promises …… on the use of or disbursement ……….”
“I even insist that I, Senator Uba Sani be held liable if Governor El Rufai fails or disappoints.” – read details attached.
WHY EFCC SHOULD ARREST BOTH NASIR EL RUFAI AND UBA SANI
(1) The billions of dollars involved in this corruption misappropriation and scandalous revelation is a huge financial crime.
(2) The two are partners in crime.
(3) Several civil servants and politicians in the past have had various terms of imprisonment and refund in cases involving less amounts than this.
(4) This government should be seen by all Nigerians to vigorously pursue the fight against corruption to its logical conclusion without fear or favour.
(5) Since part of the loan money was used to develop only a section of the state especially the Hausa Fulani North of Kaduna and Zaria towns at the expense of the entire Southern Kaduna, the embezzled funds in debts should be recovered for the development of Southern Kaduna.
(6) If El Rufai and Uba Sani don’t account for this funds, all local governments of Southern Kaduna should be exempted from paying for this loan.
